Effects of suppressing glucose transporter-1 by an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Abstract

The glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1), a key rate-limiting factor in the transport and metabolism of glucose in cancer cells, is over-expressed in many human cancer cells and this over-expression is correlated with poor biological behavior. The increased levels of Glut-1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells functionally affect tumorigenicity. This study was undertaken to investigate effects of suppressing Glut-1 by an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) on the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) cells. We used AS-ODN targeting against the Glut-1 gene in a HepG-2 cell line. There were four experimental groups: empty pcDNA3.1 vector (mock transfection), pcDNA3.1-anti-Glut (+), pcDNA3.1-Glut (+), and non-transfected HepG-2 cells. The Glut-1 mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR and the Glut-1 protein expression by Western blotting after cell culture, and the glucose uptake was detected after glucose stimulation in each group. Compared with non-transfected HepG-2 or Glut-1 pcDNA3.1, a down-regulation of Glut-1 mRNA in HepG-2 cells transfected with anti-Glut-1 pcDNA3.1 was noted (P<0.05). Glut-1 protein in HepG-2 cells transfected with Glut-1 AS-ODN was decreased compared with non-transfected HepG-2, Glut-1 pcDNA3.1, or empty vectors. Glucose uptake by the HepG-2 cells transfected with AS-ODN was decreased at 1 hour after glucose stimulation. The application of Glut-1 AS-ODN can down-regulate the expression of Glut-1 at mRNA and protein, and inhibit glucose uptake partially in HepG-2 cells. The Glut-1 gene maybe a potential therapeutic target for HCC.